The Stair House is located on a sloped lot overlooking Lake Washington and the Cascade Mountains. The floor plan is organized around two sets of stairs – one leading from the front courtyard to the rear porch; another connecting the three levels of the interior. One enters the house through an intimate courtyard characterized by concrete walls, a welded wire mesh screen, mahogany porch and plantings. Interior and exterior lines are decidedly blurred, and the rooms orient toward the view. The exterior stair is defined by a porous steel screen on one side, the building on the other. The interior stair is set in a 3 story tall plate-glass box, exposing each room to abundant light. Both stairs are composed of blackened steel and faced with plantation-grade mahogany treads.